Device for the treatment of the vaginal canal and relevant equipment

ABSTRACT

The device for the treatment of the vaginal canal by a laser beam, comprises a vaginal canal wall retractor, associated to a system for directing the laser beam towards said wall.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of electro-medical machines, and more in particular the field of machines and equipment using a laser source for treating the human body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Multiple applications of laser radiation are known for surgical, aesthetic or therapeutic treatment of the human body. In some applications, laser is used as a cutting instrument in replacement of scalpels. In other applications, laser is used for causing the necrosis of neoplastic tissues, for the bio-stimulation of the growth of particular types of tissues, for example of the cartilaginous tissue, for pain treatment. In applications more strictly related to aesthetic treatments, laser radiation is used for wrinkle reduction, skin rejuvenation, hair scalp treatment for favoring hair growth, stimulation of collagen production, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is a new use of laser radiation in the medical field, and equipment as well as a device specifically designed and made for such new application.

In substance, according to a first aspect thereof, the invention provides a device for treating the-vaginal canal by a laser beam, comprising a vaginal canal wall retractor, associated to a system for directing the laser beam towards the wall. This allows using the laser beam for treating the mucosa of the vaginal canal. The main purpose of the treatment that may be performed with the device according to the invention is to prevent and treat atrophic vaginitis, a condition typical but not exclusive of the post-menopause period that currently is normally treated with estrogens for short periods. Atrophic vaginitis is a pathological condition characterized by an inflammation of the vaginal mucosa with progressive decrease of the mucosa thickness due to the loss of collagen structure. Atrophic vaginitis is a highly disabling condition responsible for considerable psychological discomfort for women suffering from this condition, due to the associated pain, burn, bleeding, ectropion and due to the impossibility of having normal sexual intercourse (dyspareunia).

According to the invention, vice versa, atrophic vaginitis is prevented or treated by impinging the mucosa that covers the vaginal canal through a preferably pulsed laser beam of suitable wavelength and power, which allows renewing the epithelium, that is, the mucosa surface layer which, in addition, acts on the underlying plate, stimulating the production of collagen.

According to some embodiments, the system for directing, that is, orientating the laser beam comprises a mirror advantageously arranged within an empty volume defined by expansion members that interact with the vaginal canal, causing the expansion thereof upon the introduction of the device into the vagina.

The beam directing mirror may be mobile, but in a preferred embodiment of the invention it is arranged in a fixed position within the hollow volume defined by the expansion members, in the proximity of the distal end of said volume, that is, the one that upon the introduction of the device into the vagina is the innermost in the treated organ.

The expansion members may consist of a frame of longitudinal bent metal elements, for example brackets bent as a U. For better comfort during treatment and for an easier introduction of the device, it is possible to provide for the expansion members to be contained within a skirt or protection wall that at least partly covers said frame, leaving a window or aperture for the laser exit. In some embodiments it is possible to provide for the skirt or protection wall to be integrally or at least partly made of a material transparent to the laser radiation. In this way it is not necessary to provide an opening in the skirt at the point wherein the laser exits.

The treatment is simply performed by introducing the device into the vaginal canal, causing the widening of the vaginal canal by means of the retracting members, rotating it about the device axis and moving it in the introduction and removal direction, so as to impinge the entire vaginal canal, or the part thereof that requires treatment, with the laser beam.

In some embodiments, the device may comprise a scanning system whereto the retractor may advantageously be coupled in a reversible manner, so as to allow for example the sterilization of the retractor or the use of disposable retractors. The laser beam scanning system is advantageously arranged and controlled for directing a laser beam on the beam directing system, housed in the part of the device that is introduced into the vaginal canal, and for moving the beam according to a presettable path so as to perform a spot treatment on each treated portion of the mucosa for each position the operator places the device into the vaginal canal.

In some embodiments, the scanning system comprises a mirror or a pair of mirrors with galvanometer means that control the oscillation about two axes orthogonal to one another, under the control of a programmable control unit. The latter may be programmed for making the mirrors, and thus the laser beam, do predetermined movements, following a particular pattern or path defined by discrete points, spaced or not spaced from one another, whereat the laser beam interacts with the vaginal canal tissue.

In some embodiments there may be provided a suction system on the device for the fumes that generate within the vaginal canal during treatment. According to a different aspect, the invention relates to a laser apparatus comprising a laser source, a waveguide and a device of the type described above whereto the laser beam generated by the source is conveyed through the waveguide.

In some advantageous embodiments, the laser source is a pulsed source, for example with pulses with an emission lasting between 0.1 and 10 milliseconds and preferably between 0.2 and 2 milliseconds, or a continuous source with emission times between 0.5 and 50 milliseconds. The laser radiation may have a wavelength comprised for example between 1,000 nm and 12,000 nm, preferably it may be equal to 10,600 nm.

The power of the beam emitted by the source is selected so that the beam has the effect of epithelium renewal and stimulation of collagen production on the mucosa, as mentioned above. Typically, the power may be comprised between 2 and 100 W, preferably between 10 and 50 W.

The apparatus may comprise systems for controlling the scanning mirrors, so as to move the pulsed or continuous beam for performing a treatment according to a process that provides for impinging the mucosa with laser pulses in zones or points adjacent to one another and consecutive along a predetermined path, wherein the spacing between the scanning points may preferably be comprised between 0 and 5,000 micrometers, and preferably between 50 and 5,000 micrometers and even more preferably between 200 and 2,000 micrometers.

Further advantageous features and embodiments of the invention are set forth in the annexed claims that are an integral part of the present description, and they shall appear more clearly in the following description of an embodiment of the apparatus and of the device according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood by following the description and accompanying drawing, which shows a practical embodiment of the invention. More in particular, in the figures:

FIG. 1 shows an overall diagram of the apparatus, and

FIG. 2 shows a detail of the end portion of the waveguide and of the device in a possible embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 schematically shows an apparatus according to the invention. The apparatus, indicated as a whole with reference numeral 1, has a support 3, for example fitted with wheels 5 for being moved on the floor. A laser source 7, which is connected to a treatment device 11 through a waveguide 9, is positioned on the support 3. In some embodiments, the waveguide 9 is formed by tubular segments 9A, connected to one another by articulation elements 9B, known per se, for allowing the positioning and movement of the device 11.

The device 11 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. It comprises a box-shaped body forming a housing 13, wherein one or two scanning mirrors are housed. The illustrated example schematically shows with a broken line two scanning mirrors 13A and 13B. The movement of the mirrors about their oscillation axes is controlled by respective actuators, for example consisting of galvanometers, under the control of a central unit 14, for example arranged on the support 3 and connected through wiring 15 to device 11. The control unit 14 is also connected to the laser source 7 for controlling the emission of the latter. Buttons, capacitive sensors or other interface elements may be arranged on the box-shaped body forming the housing 13, allowing the operator to maneuver the device and control the laser emission.

The housing 13 of the device 11 is associated to a retractor globally indicated with 19, advantageously reversibly applicable to the housing 13 so as to use retractors 19 differing by shape and size and/or for allowing the sterilization or the use of disposable retractors 19, for clear hygiene and asepsis reasons.

In some embodiments, the retractor 19 comprises elongated linear elements 21 that form a sort of frame defining a hollow volume therein wherein there is housed a system for directing the laser beam coming from the scanning system housed in housing 13. In the embodiment shown, the system for directing the beam comprises a mirror 23 inclined to about 45° relative to the longitudinal axis indicated with A-A of the frame formed by the linear elements 21. This frame may be coated with a skirt, not shown, for example made of a plastic material for favoring the introduction thereof into the vaginal canal and increasing the patient's comfort.

Introducing retractor 19 into the vaginal canal, mirror 23 takes on such position that the beam coming from the scanning system 13A, 13B is directed approximately orthogonally relative to axis A-A of the retractor, and therefore about orthogonally to a portion of the vaginal canal wall.

Moving the retractor according to arrow f1 in a direction parallel to axis A-A and rotating it according to arrow f2 about axis A-A it is possible for the operator to treat adjacent and consecutive portions of the vaginal canal through the laser beam. The latter preferably is a pulsed beam and holding mirror 23 still, each pulse is directed to a point defined by the scanning mirrors 13A and 13B. Holding device 11 in a fixed position into the vaginal canal for a certain time, the device will send a series of pulses that will affect adjacent points arranged according to a pattern or path that may be preset through the programmable control unit 14, for treating the entire zone reachable by holding mirror 23 in a predetermined position. Once this treatment is over, retractor 19 is moved angularly for impinging in a similar manner all the tissue portions that are at a certain depth into the vaginal canal. Once this treatment is over, retractor 19 is moved according to arrow f2 inwards or outwards (according to where the treatment has started), for repeating the operation on adjacent annular areas of the entire vaginal canal or in any case of the zones to be subject to treatment. 

1. A device for treating the vaginal canal by a laser beam, comprising: a vaginal canal wall retractor defining a hollow volume; a system for directing the laser beam towards said wall, said system including a mirror arranged in said hollow volume; a laser beam scanning system arranged and controlled for directing a laser beam on said mirror and for moving said laser beam according to a pre-settable pattern.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vaginal canal wall retractor comprises expansion members defining said central hollow volume, wherein said mirror is positioned.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said expansion members are fixed with respect to one another and define a fixed hollow volume.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said mirror is arranged in fixed position within said hollow volume, in a proximity of a distal end of said hollow volume.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said expansion members comprise a frame formed by elongated and shaped linear elements.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: an outer protection skirt which at least partially surrounds said hollow volume.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: an outer protection skirt which at least partially surrounds said hollow volume, wherein said outer protection skirt at least partly surrounds said frame.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said skirt has an aperture or at least a portion made of a material transparent to the laser radiation.
 9. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said laser beam scanning system is reversibly connectable to said vaginal canal wall retractor.
 10. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a fume suction system into the vaginal canal.
 11. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said laser beam scanning system is controlled to move a laser beam according to a treatment pattern and to direct a moving laser beam towards said mirror arranged in said hollow volume, the movable laser beam being reflected by said mirror towards an exterior of said hollow volume.
 12. A laser apparatus comprising: a laser source; a waveguide; and a device comprising a vaginal canal wall retractor defining a hollow volume, a system for directing a laser beam towards said wall and a laser beam scanning system arranged and controlled for directing a laser beam on said mirror and for moving said laser beam according to a pre-settable pattern, said system including a mirror arranged in said hollow volume, said device being connected to said laser source through said waveguide.
 13. A laser apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said laser source is a pulsed source.
 14. A laser apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said laser source is a continuous source.
 15. A laser apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said laser source is controlled for renewing epithelium and stimulating a production of collagen in vaginal mucosa.
 16. A laser apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein emission pulses have a duration comprised between 0.1 and 10 ms and preferably between 0.2 and 2 ms.
 17. A laser apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said laser source emits at a wavelength comprised between 1000 nm and 12,000 nm and preferably equal to 10,600 nm.
 18. A laser apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said laser source has a power comprised between 2 and 100 W and preferably between 1 0 and 50 W.
 19. A laser apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said laser source and said device are controlled so as to generate a pulse treatment pattern with a spacing between consecutive scanning points comprised between 0 and 5,000 micrometers, preferably between 50 and 5,000 micrometers and even more preferably between 200 and 2,000 micrometers.
 20. A laser apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein a pulsed or continuous laser beam is controlled for remaining on same spots repeating an emission time up to 5 times a time of a single emission.
 21. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said mirror is arranged in fixed position within said hollow volume, in a proximity of a distal end of said hollow volume.
 22. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said expansion members comprise a frame formed by elongated and shaped linear elements.
 23. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said expansion members comprise a frame formed by elongated and shaped linear elements.
 24. A device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: an outer protection skirt which at least partially surrounds said hollow volume.
 25. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said skirt has an aperture or at least a portion made of a material transparent to the laser radiation. 